Press Conference
Mayor Houston joined railroad activist in celebrating the first Rail Rally held in Enos Park at Carpenter and 3rd Street in 2009. It was almost exactly three years to the day that the first of eight Rallies was held in protest of the plans to construct a second rail down the 3rd Street corridor. The Reunion was also used to draw attention for support of IDOT’s position to move the 3rd Street tracks to the 10th Street corridor.
About the Grassroots Coalition for Consolidation
The Grassroots Coalition for Consolidation consisted of 8 neighborhoods; DSI, Harvard Park, Hawthorn Place, Lincoln Park, Old Aristocracy Hill, Near South, Vinegar Hill, and Enos Park. The neighborhoods contributed over $3,500 to hire Clayton Harris III, attorney from Chicago, to represent the interest of the older neighborhoods.
The following individuals represented these neighborhoods; Victoria Ringer, Polly Poskin, Marty Van Diver, Jen Aholt, Karen Conn, Mark and Ruth Anderson, Bill Castor, Michelle Higginbotham and Steve Combs.
The Coalition hosted and promoted 8 Rail Rallies including one in front of the IDOT offices and another in Chicago tracking down Governor Quinn who would not meet with us in Springfield.
I have e-mail addresses for 147 individuals who participated in the Rallies and will contact them about the Tuesday noon Rail Rally Reunion!
ICON, the current coalition of older neighborhoods, is an outgrowth of the Grassroots Coalition. It consist of individuals from 22 different neighborhoods in 8 of the 10 Wards in Springfield. ICON has spearheaded the change in the boarded property ordinance and was a strong supporter of the recent changes to the nuisance abatement ordinance. It is also working to bring about major changes to the garbage collection program in the City.
Join the Grassroots Coalition for Consolidation in support of a press conference Tuesday, August 14 at noon at 3rd and Carpenter for a press conference in support of option 2A and to encourage public participation in the public hearing.
Rail Consolidation Funding Alternative 2A Fact Sheet
Read about it at SJ-R.com…
Public Hearing
Wednesday, August 15, 4-7pm
President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center, 701 East Adams Street, Springfield, IL
Illinois Department of Transportation public hearing on high-speed rail improvements between Chicago and St. Louis, including railroad consolidation in Springfield
The Grassroots Coalition for Consolidation is urging members of the community to attend the public hearing on the Draft EIS for the Tier 2 Evaluation of Springfield Rail Improvements Project. The public hearing will be an open house format where members of the community can attend anytime between 4 – 7 pm. Members of the community are asked to attend the public hearing and fill out comment cards demonstrating their support for Alternative 2A.
Alternative 2A will consolidate the 3rd Street corridor onto 10th Street and make safety and travel improvements to the 10th Street and 19th Street corridor. Some key benefits is the removal of an entire rail corridor, 8 new underpasses, 1 new overpass and the creation of a quite zone to both the 10th Street and 19th Street corridors where trains will not blow their horns.
Submit comments by email or letter (deadline August 20)
Comments can be submitted via email with the subject line “Draft EIS” to Joseph.Shacter@Illinois.gov or mailed to:
Mr. Joseph E. Shacter
Director, Division of Public and Intermodal
Illinois Department of Transportation
100 West Randolph Street, Suite 6–600
Chicago, Illinois 60601